Millions of children have mobile phones or other electronic devices that enable them to engage with social media applications and platforms over the Internet and Worldwide Web (or “Web”). Such social media applications and platforms presently include Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, tumblr, flickr, Classmates, Reddit, and Google+. Surely others also exist and will become available over time. Many parents provide mobile phones and other electronic devices having social media access to children as young as elementary school age. The clamor for mobile phones and the like starts at younger and younger ages, and that trend will likely continue.
Psychologists are quickly learning how dangerous smartphones can be for teenage brains. Research has found that an eighth-grader's risk for depression jumps 27% when he or she frequently uses social media. Kids who use their phones for at least three hours a day are much more likely to be suicidal. And recent research has found the teen suicide rates in the US now eclipses the homicide rate, with smartphones as the driving force.
Those on the cutting edge of such technology seem to appreciate the risks of social media better than the general public. According to the 2016 “Kids & Tech: The Evolution of Today's Digital Natives” report, the average age that a child gets their first smartphone is now 10.3 years. However, Bill Gates did not allow his children to have a cellphone until they were the age of 14. Steve Jobs revealed in a 2011 New York Times interview that he prohibited his children's use of Apple's iPad.
While legitimate education and social aspects of social media do exist, there is no doubt that the risks to children are very real. From predators to addictive features intentionally built into such platforms, children are unequipped to appreciate the harm to which they are exposed or to protect against it.
Teenagers that drive have additional risks, caused by distractions such as texting while driving and social media use while driving. The fact is, car accidents are the leading cause of death in teenagers 14-19, and cell phone use while driving is a high risk factor. There are some biological reasons explaining why teens are easily distracted, and the allure of the cellphone while driving can be too much for young drivers to resist.
There is a need for parents to monitor their children's electronic device and social media use. Whether pre-teen or teen age, there are potentially catastrophic risks to children that parents simply should not ignore. To date, however, there has been very little available to parents for responsibly and effectively monitoring their children's use of electronic devices, particularly mobile electronics, and social media.